User Guide

2
3
introduces short chainstays and steeper seat
angles to mountain bikes. Gary designs and
builds the first mountain bike using Tange
Prestige tubing. The Fisher Excalibur is the
first production mountain bike with a Dura
Ace freehub, toe clips and straps.
The first US National Championship for
mountain bikes was held. Fisher fields a team
for the Nationals, including Dale Stetina,
Eric Heiden, Joe Murray, Tom Ritchey and
John Loomis. Loomis is the top Fisher fin-
isher in third place.
Fisher racer Dale Stetina wins the Paradise
Divide Stage Race. Team Fisher riders win
70% of all off-road races held.
Gary goes to France to introduce the
mountain bike, racing downhill in the La
Plagne Alps.
1985
Fisher Team riders work with Shimano
to develop indexed shifting. Gary develops
“Standover height” and “Effective top tube
length” measurements to better describe off-
road frame fit.
1986
Fisher starts a grass roots racing team -
the largest off-road racing team in the world.
Gary sells the name “Marin Mountain Bikes”
to Bob Buckley.
1987
Fisher bikes win a World Championship
under team member Sara Ballantyne. The
Fisher Procaliber is voted one of the “Top Ten
All-Time Best Mountain Bikes” by Mountain
Bike Action Magazine. Gary is named by
Outside Magazine as one of “50 Who Left
Their Mark” in the last ten years.
1988
The innovative Fisher CR-7 is introduced
combining Gary’s renowned frame design
and Richard Cunningham’s expertise at join-
ing aluminum and chrome-moly. Bicycle
Guide Magazine names the titanium Fisher
Prometheus the “Best of 88”. Gary is induct-
ed at the inaugural Mountain Bike Hall of
Fame in Crested Butte.
1989
Gary introduces the Evolution headset,
tubing and seatpost, the first oversize compo-
nent system for off-road bikes. Bicycle Guide
magazine names the Fisher Gemini Tandem
“Best of 89”. Fisher produces its first hybrid
bicycle.
Fisher rider Sara Ballantyne wins her third
world championship.
1990
Gary’s collaboration with Mert Lawwill on
the RS-1 full suspension bike wins Bicycling
Magazine’s “Hot Bike” award. The Fisher Mt.
Tam is the first production mountain bike
with a front suspension fork (RockShox) and
suspension ready geometry.
1991
Gary introduces 15.5” chainstays on the
Montare.
Fisher starts it’s international mountain
bike team, including world champions Albert
Iten and Walter Braendli of Switzerland and
Paola Pezzo and Paolo Rusola of Italy.
1992
Gary develops the Alembic carbon fiber
suspension bike with Toray of Japan.
1993
Trek Bicycle Corporation acquires the Gary
Fisher Bicycle Company. The new Gary
Fisher brand is launched in September with
its most competitive range ever, including 10
models manufactured in the United States.
Fisher rider Paola Pezzo of Italy wins the
UCI World Mountain Bike Championship in
France.
1994
Gary is named the “Founding Father of
Mountain Bikes” by Smithsonian magazine.
Gary receives a lifetime achievement award
at the Korbel Night of Champions, cycling’s
Academy Awards.
1996
Fisher rider Paola Pezzo wins the gold
medal for mountain bikes at the Atlanta
Olympic Games. Gary designs the Joshua
dual suspension bike, the Joshua later
becomes the most copied design of the 90’s.
Gary develops “Genesis Geometry” the first
significant geometry change in mountain
biking since 1987. The Fisher brand is the
fastest growing bicycle brand in the U.S.A.